Using Analogies to Teach Thinking, Language & Content

to ELLs

Prepared by Jeanette Gordon

Illinois Resource Center

Similes and Metaphors are commonly taught.

Simile “Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. Most of us have

gears we never use.” Charles Schulz

Metaphor "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?“

(The Partnership for a Drug-Free America)

Definition: Reasoning or explaining from parallel cases. A simile is an expressed analogy; a metaphor is an implied one. Adjective: analogous http://grammar.about.com/od/ab/g/analogy.htm

Copyblogger “Metaphor, Simile and Analogy:What’s the Difference?” by Brian Clark

Metaphor• A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses one thing

to mean another and makes a comparison between the two. The key words here are “one thing to mean another.”

Simile• A simile compares two different things in order to

create a new meaning. In this case, we are made explicitly aware that a comparison is being made due to the use of “like” or “as”

Analogy• An analogy is comparable to metaphor and simile in

that it shows how two different things are similar, but it’s a bit more complex. Rather than a figure of speech, an analogy is more of a logical argument. The presenter of an analogy will often demonstrate how two things are alike by pointing out shared characteristics, with the goal of showing that if two things are similar in some ways, they are similar in other ways as well.

Source: Copyblogger “Metaphor, Simile and Analogy:What’s the Difference?” by Brian Clark

Why Use Analogies• Higher-order thinking promotes engagement

and retention. • ELLs can understand and communicate

complex relationships with limited language.• The same concept can be represented in more

than one type of relationship which helps refine understanding and promote cognitive flexibility.

• New unfamiliar learning can be connected and taught using a familiar context

Teach Analogies by TypeAntonymsSynonymsDescriptivePerformer to ActionObject and FunctionObject and LocationPart to WholeItem to CategoryObject and Related Object

Object to GroupCause and EffectEffect and CauseEffort and ResultResult and EffortProblem and SolutionDegree of a CharacteristicThings that Go Together Types of Rhyme

Source of types: www.fibonicci.com/verbal-reasoning/word-analogies/examples-types/

Antonyms: words that are opposites

Teach concepts independently first. Once the concept is firmly understood. Teach the analogy.Antonyms is a simple type to teach first.

Image from You and Me by Giovanni Manna and Stella Blackstone

Teach the concept of the type (in this case opposites) before creating analogies.

big

small

up

Most common error.Avoid teaching the language ___ is to ___ as ___ is to __“big is to small as up is to down”.

It works at this level of analogy, but as analogies get more difficult using that language makes it much harder to identify the relationship. Teach students to describe the relationship, first.Big is the opposite of small. Up is the opposite of down.

down

Free SAT Prep1.comWhat not to do• The biggest mistake we have encountered

with analogies are students who want to insist on approaching them by saying "Wallet is to money as ..." While this may sound official, it is the wrong way to approach the analogies questions.

• http://www.freesat1prep.com/sat/verbal/analogies/

“The right way to approach the SAT analogies• Make up a short sentence that includes both

words in the analogy. Example: A wallet contains money. (It's supposed to anyway.) Try to keep this sentence short and use an active verb whenever possible.

• If you still have a problem (say because the sentence you created fits most or even all of the answer choices) go back and make the question more specific.”

http://www.freesat1prep.com/sat/verbal/analogies/

Synonyms: words that have the same or similar meanings

“Rescue means the same as save.”“Tired means the same as _______.”

After students understand the concept of analogy, periodically use the test format

rescue: save :: tired: ___

Remember to describe the relationship.

Descriptive: one word describes the other word

airplane

fast

sloth

slow

Use images. Students must understand the vocabulary and the image. If sloth is not known to the students, it won’t be helpful. Clarify vocabulary, and use multiple examples.

turtle

fast slow

More Descriptive• Point out to students that the descriptive analogy must

describe a permanent characteristic.• Sad boy won’t work because the boy can also be happy.

fasttall

skyscraper

Students can all be correct with a different answer.

cheetah race car

Performer and Action

Teacher: teaches :: Cook: cooks Farmer: farms:: Carpenter: builds housesScientist: does research OR conducts experiments::

Firefighter:

puts out firesOR saves people

Performer to Action Also called Function

Farming is the function of a farmer.Teaching is the function of a ______________teacher

Object and Function

The function of a saw is to saw.The function of a fishing pole is to ________ fish

Object and Location

bird: nest: bee: ______ hive

fir tree: forest: cactus: ______ desert

Part to whole: one word is a part of the other

eraser

pencil

tail

dog

wheel is part of a _____?

covered wagon Illinois is

part of __?The United States of America

Item to Category: one word is an item in the category named by the other

carrot

vegetables

hammer

tools

Remember to explain the relationship of the first example.

“Carrot belongs to the category vegetable.

Hammer belongs to the category __________.” tools

“Violin is a kind of musical instrument.

A cook is a kind of ____________.” occupation

Or “belongs in the classification of ____”

More Item to Category

Object and Related Object

kitten: cat :: puppy: dog

kitten: cat :: chrysalis: butterflyA kitten grows into a cat.A puppy grows into a dog. A kitten matures into a cat.A chrysalis matures into a butterfly.

Object and Group

One cow and a herd of cows.

One seagull and a ________of seagulls.flock

More Object and Group

ant: colony of ants:: wolf: _____

See animal groups: www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/animals/names.htm

pack

Even More Object and Group

teamtree: forest :: player: ______

Cause Effect Relationship

goal: celebrate :: push : move

Goal causes people to celebrate. Push causes something to move.

Effect Cause Relationship

Happy earth is the result of conservation.

A growing plant is the result of _____________.sunlight and rain.

Effort and Result

A painting is the result of the effort to paint.A letter is the result of the effort to ________write

Result and Effort

Good grades are the result of the effort to study.Strong muscles are the result of the effort to ______________.exercise

do physical work.

Problem and Solution

If a person is tired, the solution is to sleep.If a person is thirsty, the solution is to_____ drink.

More Problem and Solution

unemployment: job application :: bad grades:______ study

Degree of a CharacteristicMost often used with adjectives

happy: ecstatic :: ______: distraughtsad

More Degree of a Characteristic

hot: boiling :: ache: ___________pain

Things That Go Together

salt: pepper:: knife: _______

Some things are usually spoken of together.Other examples: thunder and lightning, nuts and

bolts, cup and saucer, shoes and socks

fork

Types of RhymesPerfect Rhyme type:

bed: red:: house:

Choose the correct answer.

For additional rhyme types, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyme

peoplebedroommouse color

Rick Wormeli Resource Rick Wormeli’s book provides an

excellent orientation to the use of metaphors and analogies.

One chapter is devoted to ELLs Note: The example used for the

following TWA strategy is adapted from Elma Torres, a winner of a metaphor content by Rick Wormeli. Read other winner submissions and his comments on the site.

http://www.stenhouse.com/html/news_167.htm

TWA Strategy “Teaching with Analogies (TWA) strategy

introduced by Glynn, Duit, & Thiele . This strategy models what expert teachers and authors employ when using analogies. In the TWA strategy, shared attributes between the analogue and target are known as mappings. The goal is to transfer ideas from a familiar concept (the analogue) to an unfamiliar one (the target) by mapping their relationship”

Source: “Teaching with Analogies: www.csun.edu/science/books/sourcebook/chapters/10-analogies/teaching-analogies.html

6 Operations in the TWA Model

1. Introduce target concept.2. Review analogue concept. 3. Identify relevant features of target and 

analogue4. Map similarities.5. Indicate the limitations of the analogy.6. Draw a conclusion.

See example in following slides.

Example of the TWA StrategyAnalogy: Learning any new skill is similar to

learning to ride a bike. (Skill of reading.)1. Introduce target concept: Learning to read takes a

lot of practice.2. Review analogue concept: Riding a bicycle. This should be a familiar concept. Remember ELLs

may still need visuals of the analogue concept. What is a recognizable analogue for many students may not be familiar to ELLs.

3. Identify relevant features of target and analogue– Modeling, – Try with support from others. – Try on your own. – Practice in more difficult situations.– Use the skill throughout life

     4. Map similarities Specify how each relevant feature is similar.

ModelingBoth skills need to be modeled.

Someone reads to you. Someone takes you for a ride.

Try with support from others.Children learn both skills with help from others.

Read with support, less support when more skillful.

Ride with support, less support when more skillful.

Try on your own.For both skills, learners who are ready practice by themselves.

Read on your own Ride the bicycle by yourself

Practice in more difficult situations.To learn both skills, it takes hard work and practice to get better.

Practice to read harder books. Practice to ride really well.

Use the skill throughout life.Both reading and riding can benefit our lives in many ways.

Read for work and pleasure. Ride for work and pleasure.

5. Indicate the limitations of the analogy.– Some students may have no experience with learning to

ride a bike. – The skill of reading is more complex, with modeling,

support and practice for each new reading skill being taught.

– Reading is a needed skill, not a skill of choice.

6. Draw a conclusion.    The students develop a basic understanding of the process of learning to read with the analogy of learning to ride a bike.

Original source for TWA: Glynn, S. M., R. Duit, & R. B. Thiele (1995). Teaching

science with analogies: A strategy for constructing knowledge. In S. M. Glynn and R. Duit (Eds.).Learning science in the schools: Research reforming practice (pp. 247-273). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Teaching Teachers to Use Analogies

• Site to promote use of analogies in science. • Teaching Materials• Resources to teach using analogies in

Educational Methods courses• Analogy aptitude pre/post survey• Free videos with examples of analogies• PowerPoint Presentations• http://www.physics.nau.edu/~james/

TeachingTeachersAnalogies.htm